A New Generation 1: Rusting Away
by DaBananaman
Summary: This story takes place far into the future of the five Clans featured in Erin Hunter's books. Four new Clans rule a new forest and field, with new characters... you get the point. Brand-new Warriors.
1. Rusting Away Allegiances

**WoodClan**

**Leader** Stonestar (gray tabby tom)

**Deputy** Woodpelt (huge brown tom)

**Medicine Cat** Mousepelt (old gray-brown she-cat)

**Warriors** (toms, and she-cats without kits)

Nightwind (gray she-cat with black chest fur, underbelly, and tail)

_Apprentice: Sparrowpaw_

Rainfall (calico tom)

_Apprentice: Runningpaw_

Briarfur (brown tabby she-cat)

Sootstorm (jet black tom)

Swiftclaw (siamese tom; formerly a loner)

Rockstorm (gray tabby tom)

Forestguard (gray tom with a green-tinged pelt)

**Apprentices** (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

Sparrowpaw (light brown she-cat)

Runningpaw (silver she-cat)

**Queens** (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Dawnray (golden tabby she-cat, mother of Rainfall's kits: Sunkit, Flowerkit, and Soilkit)

**Elders** (former queens and warriors, now retired)

Wildpatch (tortoiseshell she-cat)

Everflame (flame-colored tabby tom)

**RustClan**

**Leader** Redstar (white and red she-cat)

**Deputy** Thornfang (brown tabby tom)

**Medicine Cat** Steelwind (silver tom with black paws)

**Warriors** (toms, and she-cats without kits)

Squirrelbane (ginger and brown she-cat)

_Apprentice: Featherpaw_

Tigersnow (massive white tom with black tabby stripes)

_Apprentice: Sharppaw_

Redwire (calico she-cat)

_Apprentice: Mousepaw_

Shadowclaw (long-haired dark gray tom with black patches)

Bloodstrike (red tabby tom)

Mudguard (mottled brown she-cat)

**Apprentices** (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

Featherpaw (long-haired white she-cat)

Sharppaw (light gray she-cat)

Mousepaw (dark brown tom)

**Queens** (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Pebblefoot (dark gray she-cat with white specks on her paws, mother of Tigersnow's kits: Smokekit, Cloudkit, and Bluekit)

**Elders** (former queens and warriors, now retired)

Spikepelt (brown tom with gray specks on back)

Wheatfire (ginger tom)

**GrassClan**

**Leader** Stripestar (tabby gray tom with a heavily striped tail)

**Deputy** Fleetfoot (wiry golden she-cat)

**Medicine Cat** Petalwind (calico she-cat)

_Apprentice: Wheatpaw_

**Warriors** (toms, and she-cats without kits)

Squirreltail (brown she-cat with a bushy tail)

_Apprentice: Bluepaw_

Sunspot (gray tabby tom with a golden head)

_Apprentice: Loudpaw_

Wildcloud (ginger and white tom)

Stormflight (light gray tabby tom)

Whisperfoot (wiry tortoiseshell she-cat)

Foxfire (reddish tom)

Ambergaze (brown tabby she-cat with bright amber eyes)

Swiftwind (small white tom)

**Apprentices** (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

Wheatpaw (gray-brown tom)

Bluepaw (tortoiseshell and gray she-cat)

Loudpaw (golden tabby tom)

**Queens** (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Molefur (gray-brown she-cat, mother of Stormflight's kits: Stonekit, Darkkit, Ashkit)

Bumblebee (yellow she-cat with black tabby stripes, expecting Stripestar's kits)

**Elders** (former queens and warriors, now retired)

Brackenleaf (bracken-colored tom)

Littlemouse (small brown she-cat)

Slatepelt (slate gray tom)

**CanyonClan**

**Leader** Soilstar (dark brown tabby tom)

**Deputy** Breezefur (silver tom)

**Medicine Cat** Glowfoot (gray tom with a white left forepaw)

**Warriors** (toms, and she-cats without kits)

Snowpounce (long-haired white tom)

_Apprentice: Cricketpaw_

Rockfang (massive gray tabby tom)

_Apprentice: Harepaw_

Patchwind (black and white she-cat)

Wildpelt (calico she-cat)

Steelcloud (silver she-cat)

Morningsun (golden tabby she-cat)

**Apprentices** (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

Cricketpaw (light brown tabby tom)

Harepaw (black and white she-cat)

**Queens** (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Brightflower (golden tabby she-cat, expecting Breezefur's kits)

**Elders** (former queens and warriors, now retired)

Whitepatch (black and white tom)

Redcloud (red and white she-cat)


	2. Rusting Away Chapter 1

****

Disclaimer: I do not own the Warriors series. This story was based on the books by Erin Hunter.

Note: I apologize for the appearance of the text. I had trouble reformatting it when I loaded it to this website.

Chapter 1

Moonlight filtered through the leaves, dappling the ground

with silvery light. It illuminated two grayish pelts, the cats they

belonged to sitting at the edge of a forest clearing. Neither of

them dared speak, but solemnly watched over the entrances to

the several dens within this clearing, and to the clearing itself.

_The forest is beautiful tonight, _thought Forestguard as he

watched the moonlight trickle into WoodClan camp. _It's almost _

_enough to forget all of the troubles in WoodClan. _And unfortuna-

tely, the troubles were numerous. Ever since Forestguard and

Rockstorm, his brother who was sitting vigil with him tonight,

were kits, RustClan had been openly hostile towards WoodClan

for taking in Swiftclaw, who back then was only six moons old,

an apprentice. He had once been a loner named Tabs, scraping out

a meager life in the alleyways. After being chased by a group of

rogues, he had sought refuge in a small copse of trees at the edge of

their territory. When he had met a passing patrol of warriors, he

became so captivated by the Clans' "strange" way of life, he begged

the WoodClan leader, Stonestar, to let him train as a WoodClan

warrior. Forestguard could remember when he was accepted,

and became apprenticed to Woodpelt, he was so excited that

he did a back-flip after the ceremony! Swiftpaw trained hard daily,

and soon was an excellent fighter. By the time he was a warrior,

he was a completely different cat than the eager Siamese he had

entered the Clan as. He was now a somber warrior, Swiftclaw, who

was worthy of respect from all the Clans.

_If only RustClan could see that, _Forestguard thought

bitterly. Another Clan that was causing worry -- among all three

other Clans -- was GrassClan. They seemed to grow stronger every

day, becoming plump off of the rabbits and mice that were abundant

on their moorland territory. Their Clan's population was starting

to grow, as well; almost every Gathering brought news of a

new queen, birth, apprenticeship, or warrior. Fortunately,

GrassClan had been completely unaggressive... so far.

And a trouble within WoodClan itself was causing anxiety:

Mousepelt, the medicine cat, was growing very old, and had

no apprentice to carry on her knowledge of StarClan and herbs

for WoodClan. _Please let one of Dawnray's kits take an_

_interest in medicine, or we may be in serious trouble. _Dawnray

was currently the only queen in WoodClan, and her three kits were

Sunkit, Flowerkit, and Soilkit.

Yes, times were hard in the woodlands. But Forestguard

and Rockstorm felt like they could take on the entire world

between the two of them... they were warriors now.


	3. Rusting Away Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Sunlight poured in through the bramble screen of the

warriors den, a bright patch falling upon Rockstorm's face.

He grumbled as he blinked awake, and Briarfur poked her head

into the nest area.

"Good to see you're awake," she meowed. "You want

to join a hunting patrol? Sootstorm and I were just about to leave."

"Uh... yeah." Rockstorm hastily stretched his cramped

limbs and shambled out into the clearing. He still felt tired after

his first overnight sentry, and it was with heavy steps that he

followed the brown she-cat out of the clearing.

Sootstorm, a jet black tom, was waiting for them at the

edge of the tunnel. The WoodClan camp was protected by a

natural barrier, two high stone walls bordering the path, and the

only way into camp was directly through the tunnel, or to force

one's way through a thorn barrier at the main clearing.

"Okay, we're all ready, right? Good; let's go." The tom

waved his tail and took the lead. Rockstorm and Briarfur followed,

and after a short period of walking Rockstorm suggested hunting

at the marshy area near the canyon.

"There's normally a lot of prey there early in the morning,"

he meowed. "I think it would be a good spot to try."

"Okay; you and Briarfur head in that direction, and I'll pause

here." Sootstorm began tasting the air, and Briarfur padded off

toward the marsh, her paws landing softly on the carpet of leaves.

As Rockstorm followed, his gaze became fixed on Briarfur; her

slender body, graceful movement, soft, smooth pelt... when he was

snapped to attention by the sounds of prey rustling in the undergrowth.

As he carefully commenced stalking a mouse, his thoughts

wandered back to Briarfur. Ever since he was a kit, and she was

still an apprentice, she was like his best friend; he spent every moment

he could with her. As he grew up, he grew closer to her, and at times,

he wondered if he was in love.

The mouse was now feet away, and Rockstorm tensed

his haunches, ready to pounce. He kicked up a swath of leaves as

he leaped upon his prey, pinning it to the ground with sharp, hooked

claws. He finished it with a nip to the throat, filling his mouth and

nose with a warm, delicious scent.

_Ah, the smell of fresh-kill!,_ he thought. He carried the warm

carcass to the base of a tree, and scraped some earth over it in

order to collect it later. He soon caught up with Briarfur, and proceeded

into the swamp.

As he investigated a rustling in the reeds, possibly a delicious

vole, he smelled a strange scent -- cat? He felt a growl rising in his

throat as he spotted a black-and-white patched pelt half-hidden among

the tall grasses. _That's CanyonClan scent! _he thought with an angry

inward snarl. He stealthily creeped forward until he was a mere

tail-length away from a very young she-cat, her gaze intent on a shrew

she was stalking.

Wham! With one swift motion, the scrawny apprentice was

on her back, spluttering out water. She struggled briefly, but

Rockstorm's greater weight and strength outmatched her hopelessly.

"Well, well, well, what have we here? An intruder?" Rockstorm

could see he was easily intimidating the tiny she-cat. Up so close,

he could see that she wasn't just small; she was scrawny and

starving. "We don't tolerate food thieves here in WoodClan, no

matter what your own kind think you should get by with!"

At this moment, Briarfur burst into the reeds where Rockstorm

was pinning the scrawny trespasser.

"What is going on here?" She fixed a hard stare upon the

CanyonClan cat. "You have some serious explaining to do."


	4. Rusting Away Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

As Harepaw was led away by two WoodClan warriors,

she thought about how foolish she had been. She had been

assigned to hunting, and entered another Clan's territory! She knew

that CanyonClan was dangerously underfed, and _needed_ more

prey. However, it was against the warrior code to trespass in

another Clan's hunting grounds, and Rockfang, her mentor, and

Soilstar would be extremely upset with her.

_What if I'm kept prisoner in WoodClan forever? _The

thought scared her. She had never been outside CanyonClan's

boundaries before, never even been to a Gathering. She had no

idea what life in other Clans was like, no idea how they treated

prisoners.

She was pulled away from her thoughts when the brown

she-cat spoke. "Wait here. I will retrieve our leader. Pray that

he is merciful."

Harepaw looked around at her surroundings. She was in

a small hollow in the middle of the forest. She looked at the

trees around her. Seeing their huge size, their great numbers,

the thousands of leaves and branches, she couldn't help but

shrink back slightly. She had never before seen trees, other

than small ones on the fields or the ones on WoodClan's border.

The gray tabby tom had been looking at her, with a cold,

hostile stare. "I hope you realize that you should have never even

_thought _of trespassing on another Clan's territory. Do you under-

stand that had you chosen RustClan to mess with, you might

not be alive right now?"

She was still lost for words, and all she could manage was

a humble nod. Maybe she had a chance here; maybe she would

be let go free.

She heard a rustling in the undergrowth, and the brown

tabby returned with another gray tom. She could see hard,

lean muscles rippling beneath his pelt, a stark contrast to all of

the scrawny cats she had grown used to in her own Clan.

"So, this is our little CanyonClan guest, eh? Briarfur said

you would not explain why you were on our territory. I have some

advice for you: start talking."

What could she say? She knew it would not be wise to

reveal that CanyonClan was weak, but a lie could get her into huge

trouble.

"I-I r-really screwed up. I was h-hungry, and..." She sighed,

realizing she was going to be in _severe _trouble. "And CanyonClan

needs more prey. This was my choice; no one sent me to hunt

in your territory. I'm the only one to blame."

The large gray tom -- their leader, she guessed -- seemed to

study her carefully for a moment. In the awkward silence, she

began to wonder if they had expected her to say something else.

Then, he spoke. "I see. You will be escorted back to

your own border; if you or any other cat of your Clan is caught

on WoodClan territory again, there will be consequences. But

for now, I warn you: WoodClan's prey belongs to WoodClan,

and WoodClan _alone_."

Relief flooded over Harepaw as she listened to the leader's

generous words. "Thank you so very much! I promise, it _will_

_not _happen again, sir!"

Bushes rustled as a jet black tomcat walked into the clearing,

carrying a wood-pigeon and a mole between his jaws. His nostrils

flared and his lips seemed to curl in disgust.

"What is a _CanyonClan _cat doing here?"

The stone-gray tom that had originally found her spoke.

"Actually, Sootstorm, she was just leaving. Get over here, apprentice.

I'm taking you back to where you belong."

"Well, hurry up, Rockstorm," Sootstorm meowed. "The

sooner she leaves, the sooner we'll be rid of that awful CanyonClan

_stench._"

As Harepaw bounded away into the fields, she thought about

how lucky she had been. She was going home free, and now she only

had to catch a couple of mice for CanyonClan. Then everything

would be perfect -- for another day, at least.


	5. Rusting Away Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Forestguard was walking through a shadowy swath of dense

forest. There was a chill in the air, and it was eerily silent all around.

_You're dreaming, _a tiny voice in the very back of his subconscious

whispered. _You've had this dream before._

Yes, he was telling himself that he was dreaming, yet he

wouldn't listen. It all seemed so real...

_Here comes the cat again_. Yes, he had seen this cat before,

and yet, it is always the first time he lays eyes on the mysterious

stranger. The shadowy cat -- a tom, he could tell by his scent --

stopped just out of clear sight. He could see his bright yellow

eyes, glowing menacingly out of the darkness.

Then, his heart skips a beat as he reveals himself for the first

time; he looked just like Forestguard! _Except for the eyes_, he told

himself.

"Congratulations, young warrior. I have been monitoring

you, Forestguard, since the day you were born. You have great

potential as a warrior."

"How do you know who I am?" Forestguard had a strange

feeling in the pit of his stomach. Deep inside, he knew he was

only dreaming. Why was he picking up such a... _sinister _aura from

this cat?

"Because I am your father. I truly regret having never met you

before now... not having a relationship with you."

Forestguard's heart skipped again as soon as he heard these

words. He had always desired to know the truth about his father!

He had not grown up with a father, only his mother, Wildpatch.

"I have tried to contact you through your dreams in the past,

but the dark magic of these woodlands has prevented me from

speaking to you. But now, I have grown stronger, and I can finally

meet you face to face."

Forestguard's head reeled. Dark magic? What sort of place

was his father -- _this cat_ -- meeting him in? He knew this was only

a dream... he would wake up from the nonsense any moment now,

and go on with his regular life.

The stranger seemed to notice the deep confusion in

Forestguard's eyes, and hastily began to explain.

"You see, son, I lived outside of any Clan. Unfortunately,

rogues do not journey to the starry hunting grounds when they

pass away. They are summoned to _these_ accursed woods, to spend

all of eternity in blindness, never again to contact the living! We

do not have the luxury of dream-walking as the great spirits of

StarClan do.

"Then how are you speaking to me now?"

"Aah, good question, young one. I have discovered that

through extreme mental discipline, anything is possible. My spirit

has been pushed beyond normal limits, so that I may walk in the

lives of the living. For now, I walk in dreams; soon, I'll be taking

the waking forest by storm."

"How did you die?" Forestguard asked hesitantly. He was

becoming intrigued, wanted to hear his late father's story. But

the vision was already fading.

Anger flashed across his father's face, but his words were

lost. The dark forest closed in on him, and the gray-green tom's

form blended into the wall of the warrior's den.

Was this a dream? Or was it a vision of significance; he had

heard of medicine cats sharing dreams with StarClan, very realistic

dreams with important messages.

He certainly looked forward to falling asleep again the next

night. He might finally find out what his mother had been hiding

from him for a year.


	6. Rusting Away Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Shock-waves ran through Runningpaw's body as she slammed

into the ground. She gritted her teeth in pain, and staggered to her

feet. A well-built calico crouched opposite of her, his teeth bared.

As he ran forward to swipe at her head, she ducked and knocked

him off of his paws.

She quickly ran forward and pinned him with her two forepaws.

"Ha! This battle is over!"

"Well done. But the day has not yet come when my apprentice

can better me in a spar."

With these words, he twisted beneath her, and bucked her off.

As he moved to knock her down with a swift tackle, she twisted in

a narrow arc and snagged her claws into the fur on his haunches. As

she moved forward to bring him to the ground, he once again kicked

her.

Tasting blood and reeling in shock, she barely registered his

next words.

"When facing a stronger, heavier enemy, _never _try to force

them down. Small, fast cats such as you or I should target the extr-

emities -- like this."

She was caught off guard as he nipped her foreleg, sending

her off balance, followed by a quick shove to the shoulder. She

sprawled out on the ground, utterly defeated.

As her mentor -- a cat named Rainfall -- moved in for the

"kill", he paused over her lifeless form. "If I _were _your enemy, you

would be finished."

"I don't think so!" Runningpaw sprang to life, knocking

Rainfall off of his paws. With a graceful twist, she leaped to her

feet and swiftly pinned him. She pounded his belly with her hind-

paws, and he went still.

"You have done well. Training is over for today." As she

stepped off of him, he slowly turned and walked out of the hollow.

She rested a moment, glowing with pride in the scarlet sunset.

Then, she sat up and padded after him, looking forward to her next

training session. She knew she was one step closer to becoming a

warrior.


	7. Rusting Away Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Forestguard was trotting along beside Runningpaw, a slight

chill in the forest air. He felt a rush of elation as the frosty wind

brushed through his fur, proud to be attending his first Gathering

as a warrior.

He also looked forward to meeting his GrassClan friend,

Amberpaw. She was a brown tabby she-cat, named for her bright

amber eyes. At his first Gathering, she was the first cat from another

Clan that he met.

She had been friendly, and introduced him to several of the

other GrassClan apprentices. In turn, he had introduced her to _his _

friends. They had spent the evening getting to know each other and

their fellow Clanmates before the official meeting.

He sniffed the air as he waded through the shallow grass of the

marsh surrounding the Island. This was the meeting place the four

Clans had chosen long ago when they had settled at the field and

wood they lived in now.

The air smelled of prey, water, grass, and open air. There

was the smell of other cats, yes, but the scent was very faint. He

could tell that WoodClan was the first to arrive.

As they waited for the other three Clans to arrive, they generally

milled around and spoke amongst themselves. However, it was not

long before he caught the musty scent of GrassClan on the moorland

breeze. He quickly found Amberpaw in the throng of cats and padded

over to greet her.

"Hi, Amberpaw!" he meowed. "Guess what --"

"Ahem; Amber_gaze_ now. I'm finally a warrior! Isn't that great,

Forestpaw?"

"Yeah, but... I'm Forest_guard_. We've _both _had a naming cere-

mony!"

"Wow, that is great! Hey, I think CanyonClan is coming."

He sniffed the air. Sure enough, the distinct scent of the canyon

cats was carried on the wind. He and Ambergaze walked over to greet

a group of CanyonClan warriors, and the night slowly passed.

"I wonder what's keeping RustClan?" Forestguard meowed.

"Usually, every Clan is here by now."

As if on cue, he heard paws splashing through the shallow marsh

around the Island. He looked up to see a red and white she-cat --

Redstar, the leader of RustClan -- leading a small group of warriors.

Personally, Forestguard was glad he was upwind; their stench was

horrid enough as it was!

Stonestar and Soilstar exchanged a few words with Redstar, and

then the four leaders and their deputies walked toward the center of the

small Gathering area.

Stonestar began the meeting. "To this full moon meeting of the

Clans, WoodClan brings two new warriors." He flicked his tail to

acknowledge he and his brother. "These two cats are now known as

Forestguard and Rockstorm. We also report that WoodClan is strong,

and the prey runs well."

"GrassClan has also promoted a new warrior," Stripestar meowed.

"This is Ambergaze. That is all we have to report."

Forestguard looked up at the sky, and stiffened in shock. The

moon was under the cover of clouds! A quick glance around the clearing

told him that several other cats had noticed it, too.

Briarfur seemed to notice as well, and she leaned forward to mew

reassuringly into his ear, "Now, you know it could just be weather; nothing

has happened at this Gathering so far."

Forestguard tried to smooth down the hairs on his hackles, and

return his attention to the leaders' announcements.

Soilstar continued. "...CanyonClan is as strong as ever, though

we have no special news to report. And what of RustClan, Redstar?"

Forestguard gave an inward _mrrow_ of laughter, remembering what

Rockstorm had told him the day before. 'As strong as ever' really wasn't

that strong for CanyonClan.

"RustClan is thriving in a resource-rich territory. Many small animals

are also attracted to the shelter offered by the junkyard we have made our

home in. We are stronger than ever."

"So, if all announcements are concluded," meowed Stonestar, "then

this Gathering is over."

As the warriors gathered their began milling around, saying farewell

to their friends outside of their own Clans, a shrill, frightened yowl rang

through the night air, and a sour fear-scent flooded his nostrils.

"RustClan is attacking!"


	8. Rusting Away Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Rockstorm looked up in alarm as mews of shock rippled through

the cluster of cats, to see Whisperfoot, a tortoiseshell she-cat of GrassClan,

standing at the edge of the clearing, sides heaving. She glanced wearily up

at Redstar and her few warriors.

"A group of RustClan cats have invaded our camp! We must return

as soon as possible!" Without stopping to catch her breath, she turned back

and raced away from the island, with Stripestar and his warriors at her tail.

This seemed to explain the ever-thickening cloud cover; how could

Redstar butcher the warrior code so? She sent her warriors on a combat

mission before arriving at the Gathering with her same cool and collected

attitude. And now she was walking away.

As the rest of the clearing was frozen in shock -- except for Redstar,

who had a cool, unreadable expression on her face as she led her warriors

away -- Stonestar seemed to think for a moment. Then, he spoke.

"Rockstorm, Rainfall, Nightwind, and Runningpaw, follow me. We

will aid our GrassClan neighbors. Woodpelt, I want you to take the rest of

the warriors and the elders back to our camp."

Rockstorm was looking forward to sinking his teeth into a RustClan

cats leg -- except for the taste, of course! He followed at a sprint as his four

Clanmates ran to keep GrassClan in sight.

Soon he heard the bloodcurdling sounds of battle, and quickened his

pace. Stripestar flashed a grateful glance at WoodClan, and then disappeared

into the ground!

"This way," Stonestar meowed. "Their camp is in a cave; its entrance

is here." He led the patrol to the tunnel that Stripestar had entered. Rockstorm

could smell blood and fear, the tunnel's reeking stench gagging him.

Ahead of him, the whole of GrassClan's warriors were engaged in battle,

defending the lives of their kits, their queens, their elders... themselves. He

launched himself upon the back of a warrior queen named Redwire, satisfied

by her hiss of astonishment. She collapsed under his greater weight, and he

bit down hard on her ear. She squealed in pain as his hind-claws raked her

back. He pounded hard on her forehead with sheathed claws, stunning her,

and got off, giving her a chance to flee. The dazed calico she-cat got away

with one last warning nip to her haunches.

He looked around, but since the cats from the Gathering had arrived,

the battle had taken a turn. There were no more intruders.

The GrassClan deputy, Fleetfoot, padded up to the WoodClan patrol.

"Thank you so much; your warriors really saved our pelts. If it weren't for

you, someone may have been seriously injured."

"GrassClan will remember this for many moons," Stripestar added.

"Thank you."

"It was our pleasure; RustClan has been far too assertive these past

few moons. We needed to put them back in their place," Stonestar growled.

"Though it is time for us to return home. WoodClan, follow me!"

As Rockstorm reached the top of the ridge near GrassClan's camp,

he took satisfaction in seeing the faint outlines of RustClan warriors splashing

through the stream into their own territory.


	9. Rusting Away Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Forestguard had never been more frantic in his life. He panted in exhaustion

as he raced through the forest, desperately trying to follow the scent trail of a

RustClan warrior, ears pricked for any sounds of movement.

Three WoodClan kits were missing, and he hadn't a moment to lose.

While most of the Clan was at the Gathering, a tom from Rustclan had sneaked into

the nursery, knocked out Dawnray, and taken them. When Woodpelt's party returned,

he instantly split up the Clan and began a rigorous search.

He keeled over, too tired to possibly continue any farther, when he heard

voices wailing piteously. The kits! Another harsh voice was faintly audible as well.

"Kits! Why did Redstar have to send ME on this mission?" the tom's deep

voice growled, "Surely a queen would handle this better..."

The prospect of being so close to the captor and the kits gave Forestguard

renewed energy, and he stalked closer as the enemy warrior grumbled and

struggled with the kits. He was now in sight of the fox-red tom, who dragged

Sunkit along.

The tom must have caught his scent, because he suddenly dropped the

kit, who landed with a yelp, and turned towards where Forestguard was hidden,

teeth bared. He growled and cautiously walked toward him.

"Show yourself! I know you're there, mouse-dung!"

Forestguard let him creep a little closer, before springing upon the foe!

The tom let out a cry of surprise and crashed to the ground, before sinking

his teeth into Forestguard's shoulder.

"Foolish WoodClanner! Do you really think you can beat ol' Bloodstrike?

I'm gonna eat you for dinner!"

Bloodstrike bit him again, and Forestguard writhed in pain, but retaliated

with his hind claws, raking across the red tom's flank. Scarlet blood flew across

the clearing -- both from Bloodstrike and Forestguard -- and agony wracked his

body. No part of his training had _truly_ prepared him for his first real battle.

Oh, he had all of the skills needed to defeat an enemy; but did he have the

endurance to withstand the pain?

He continued clawing the treacherous RustClanner, and eventually even

the older, more experienced warrior let out a yowl of pain. Bloodstrike thrashed

in agony, and threw Forestguard from him. In an instant, the warrior was sinking

his teeth into his throat, searching for a firm grip, fully intending on ending

Forestguard's life.

Forestguard was pinned to the ground, struggling against the weight of the

cat on top of him, as well as struggling for air against Bloodstrike's jaws clamping

down on his throat.

The world was dimming, and Forestguard knew he could not continue this

struggle. But he also knew he could not die like this; a hair short of his mission,

with the distressed mewls of kittens ringing through his ears. He channeled every

ounce of his willpower into throwing the enemy away from him, and Bloodstrike

soared through the air; surprisingly seeming weightless! As he staggered to his

feet, he felt a wave of relief at seeing Woodpelt and Sparrowpaw pinning

Bloodstrike to the ground.

"Forestguard, take the kits back to camp. Sparrowpaw and I will deal with

Bloodstrike."

Late at night, the RustClan threat was finally dealt with; for tonight,

anyways. Forestguard circled his nest, and settled into a welcome sleep.


	10. Rusting Away Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Welcome back, son."

Forestguard approached the dark tom who claimed to be his father. He

was eager for more information about this cat's life.

"Father, how did --"

"I am disappointed. You were nearly beaten by that RustClan warrior.

You need more training."

"But—that warrior was moons older than me! He had a lot more

experience!"

"That is no excuse. During my life, I fought tooth and claw to be the

very best. Every cat knew me, and respected me. You will do the same, and

with a little training, administered by me, you will be an undeafeatable opponent."

Forestguard's head reeled. He was already a warrior, and now this _dream_

he had known for two days was going to turn him into a war machine? This was

only a dream anyways; but he knew it was more than that.

"O-okay. . ."

_WHAM! _Forestguard suddenly found himself on the floor, looking up

into an expressionless pair of bright yellow eyes.

"The first lesson any good warrior would have taught you is to expect surprises

at all times. Training must have grown lax since I've been away."

Forestguard quickly sprang to his feet.

"Hm; try that again. I'm ready now."

Forestguard watched carefully as the tom in front of him circled and

prepared to strike. Forestguard blinked. . . and when he opened his eyes, he

was flat on his back.

"No fair! That's impossible!"

The shadowy feline before him regarded him with amusement, then

meowed, "Think of it this way. If you can learn to beat _me_, then you will be

able to defeat _any_ cat in the forest."

"It doesn't really matter if I can beat you or not, does it? This is only a

dream, after all."

"Hm, I suppose it is. Fine. I can see you want to give up. I'll just exit

your life forever, and you can go back to your silly dreams of rolling in catmint

and other such nonsense. . . and these weird thoughts would just go away.

You would be left with no inkling of knowledge about your father. You would

be just another warrior, with no impressive skills to speak of. Goodbye."

The tom walked away, and Forestguard's heart raced in panic at these

last words. He hadn't meant to drive him away!

"Wait! Don't go!"

He could still see a faint shadow of the cat, and he saw the tom turn back.

"I am not yours to command, Forestguard. You have disappointed me as

my son; you and I are nothing alike. I gave you a chance… and you blew it."

Forestguard felt dazed. He shook his head to clear it. He was in a dream;

why did this feel so real? He would just wake up in the morning, and everything

would be perfectly normal.

He then settled into a dreamless sleep.


	11. Rusting Away Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Sparrowpaw cautiously sniffed the air, as he had been trained to by his mentor, Nightwind. He smelled prey-scent, the musty odor of leaf mold, and traces of WoodClan cats that had passed this way. His nostrils flared and his hackles rose as he scented fox, though fortunately it was stale. Safe to pass. He continued to a hollow oak tree with moss growing at its base and sides.

_Perfect, _he thought to himself. He began scraping the moss into a large bundle, which he awkwardly gripped between his teeth, and walked back towards the camp. _The elders will be pleased; this is especially good moss. Maybe Everflame will even tell me a story! _

The young tom was pleased with the bedding he had found, and so were the elders.

"Aah," Wildpatch sighed contentedly, "I haven't had a nest this soft in countless moons! Thankee, youngster!"

"Yes, you did well. Now, how would you like to hear a story about the four Clans' histories?" Everflame meowed. He was grinning slightly, as he enjoyed the presence of this young cat, who was always interested in his stories.

"Story? YES PLEASE!"

**Short chapter, but it leads to a rather LONG story. I'm giving a little reference to how my story ties in with the Clans. AND I FIXED THE FORMAT PROBLEM!**


	12. Rusting Away Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Long, long ago, five Clans lived in a far-off forest. They were the great ThunderClan, RiverClan, ShadowClan, WindClan, and SkyClan. They lived together as we do now, each ruling their own territories, masters of their wilderness.

"But, eventually, giant beasts known as Twolegs invaded SkyClan's territory with powerful, metal monsters. Rumor has it that monsters such as these lie dead in RustClan's junkyard, ya know. Now, these new creatures completely destroyed SkyClan's territory to build their own sprawling nests. SkyClan was forced to move far away.

"It did not take long for SkyClan to fall apart while searching for a new home, and arguing amongst themselves about who should lead, where to settle, what to do. They split up.

"According to legend, a ThunderClan warrior received a prophecy from StarClan. He was to find SkyClan and reunite them. And unite them, he certainly did! He found several cats who shared SkyClan's special trait, which was strong hind legs. They could jump and climb like no others! He and one of the SkyClan descendants, the only one left who still followed Clan tradition, taught these cats how to truly be a Clan. When the warrior returned to his own Clan, SkyClan existed once more.

"But, SkyClan later faced dissidence within itself. Within one generation, there was simply too much ambition to go around. Rustfang, Canyonstone, and Grassfur were three strong rivals to Woodstar's leadership. Canyonstone and Grassfur even resorted to recruiting rogues to gain power, after they and their followers left SkyClan. The medicine cat, Rainear, decided to consult with StarClan when Rustfang threatened to lead away the remaining half of SkyClan's forces.

"StarClan did understand that there was little that could be done to truly keep SkyClan united, and they instructed the remaining warriors to meet with Canyonstone and Grassfur's rogues. They would form four new Clans, and move to a home with four distinct territories not far to the north.

"All cats agreed, and eventually settled here. SkyClan's blood was diluted through the generations, as more cats joined the four new Clans. Only RustClan has pure SkyClan ancestry, as they were intolerant to all outsiders.

"We are now four Clans, and proud of our own customs and territories."

Everflame's eyes gleamed and he lifted his chin in pride as he finished relaying the history of the Clans.

"Now, run along youngster, and get some fresh-kill for yourself."

"Okay. Thank you for the story, Everflame!"

The kind, old elder chuckled. "It was my pleasure."


	13. Rusting Away Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Briarfur stretched and yawned. It was about a quarter moon since RustClan had attacked, and the excitement had died down around camp, though she knew every cat was still angry.

_RustClan will never hear the last of this, _she thought to herself. _If I ever see one of them outside the Gathering, I just may claw its fur off._

As she poked her head outside of the warriors' den, blinking in the late morning light. She crossed the clearing over to the fresh-kill pile, choosing a slightly stale mouse left from the last hunting patrol, and chose a spot near Woodpelt and Nightwind to eat it.

"Good morning," the two senior warriors—her parents—spoke almost simultaneously.

"Good morning," Briarfur replied with a courteous nod. "The sunhigh patrol is leaving soon, right? Should I accompany them?" She dipped her head and took a bite out of the prey as she listened to Woodpelt's reply.

"No, the patrol is already sorted out. You will join a hunting patrol this evening. You can do pretty much what you please until then."

Briarfur sighed. _Just another lazy day in camp._ She finished her meal in silence as her mother and father shared tongues. She felt a sense of longing as she watched them, so close and so obviously in love. _Maybe someday I'll have someone to love like that. It would be nice._

"I think I'll go for a walk in the woods. I'll be near the stream on the northern border, if you need me." Woodpelt gave a nod of acknowledgement, and she briskly padded out of the camp after burying her mouse's bones.

The walk in the woods was serene, everything beautiful in late greenleaf. The first of the autumn colors were appearing in the trees, and leaffall probably wasn't far off. Earthy scents were all around her; the smell of squirrel, leaf mold, and faint traces of herbs found their way to her nostrils. A walk in the forest was always enough to keep her happy.

Another scent caught her attention: feline. She sniffed again, drawing the scent over the roof of her mouth, and found that it belonged to her friend Rockstorm. She decided to visit with him, and quietly padded towards him. Soon his grey coat was within sight, but she could see by his posture that he was stalking some prey. She hung back and watched as he crept closer, snapped a twig, chased an alerted squirrel halfway up a tree, fell down, and uttered a muffled "Fox dung!"

Briarfur let out a mrrow of laughter. "Better luck next time!" Rockstorm turned in surprise and gasped.

"Yikes! Don't ever creep up on me like that!"

Briarfur feigned hurt. "Gosh, I just wanted to see you. You didn't have to snap like that. Hey, could I hunt with you? I've got nothing to do until the evening patrol."

"Umm… Sure! Sounds great. I'm heading towards the north border and back. Let's go!"

He took the lead, and Briarfur padded a short distance behind. Looking at the handsome tom in front of her, her mind returned to that longing feeling she had felt earlier that morning. She tried to focus on her hunting, but eventually Rockstorm was filling her mind.

She barely even saw the mouse when it scurried right in front of her.

"What are you doing?!" called Rockstorm teasingly. "I've never seen a mouse leap into someone's jaws, but that was the next closest thing!"

"Aww, lay off! It was a good few taillengths ahead of me!"

"It was _right in front of your nose!_"

"Was not! Besides, you didn't do any better with that squirrel!" They continued teasingly bickering with each other until Briarfur playfully cuffed Rockstorm over the head. He, in return, shouldered her roughly, and soon they were both rolling on the ground play-fighting like apprentices.

Briarfur was having immense fun, and couldn't believe that she hadn't done this since she _was_ an apprentice. She was also happy to be in such close contact with this handsome tom; lucky her! However, her loud purr was interrupted by a _louder_…

"_Ahem!_"

Rockstorm looked up suddenly. "Swiftclaw! I- um- w-we uh—"

"Are neglecting your hunting duties? Yes, I know. I would certainly expect better of both of you." He shifted his gaze to include Briarfur. "Since you're so eager to be with young Rockstorm here, why don't you hunt with him while you're at it? Between the two of you, I expect that fresh-kill pile to be full to the brim by sunset; and you _aren't _going to have a bite of it until then."

"Uh; Swiftclaw? I'm on the evening patrol…"

"Better have the fresh-kill pile full in time to leave for your patrol then. Good luck." Swiftclaw simply turned and walked away.

If ever a cat's jaw had hit the ground, Briarfur's definitely did. "Oh, Rockstorm, I am _so _sorry! This is my fault."

"No, don't be hard on yourself. It was both of us. Anyways, I haven't had that much fun since I was a kit!" Rockstorm meowed. "But, let's hold off on the fun until we have that pile filled. We don't want to get Swiftclaw cross." he added hastily.

"All right. Let's go." They spent the rest of that afternoon hunting, making multiple trips back to camp before returning to the forest. It was nearly time for Briarfur's patrol, but the fresh-kill pile wasn't completely full yet.

They were now sitting in camp, planning to rest their sore paws for a brief moment before making one last hunting trip. "Uh oh," groaned Rockstorm. "Here comes Swiftclaw."

The Siamese warrior crossed the clearing towards them, glancing at the fresh-kill pile on the way. His eyes widened, and he continued on his way to Briarfur and her friend.

"We're dead. Swiftclaw will have our pelts. StarClan, please save us."

Briarfur thought that Rockstorm was being overdramatic—Swiftclaw was a rather gentle cat—but she was fairly convinced that there would be a punishment.

So, being braced for verbal abuse at the least, she was surprised when he meowed, "I'm impressed. I must say I wasn't expecting you to catch so much prey! You are now excused from hunting duties. Briarfur, I believe you're due on a patrol? Woodpelt told me to fetch you; he said you should bring one other cat and meet your brother Sootstorm at the camp entrance. But by all means, you should eat first!"

Briarfur breathed a sigh of relief. "Rockstorm, would you patrol with me?"

"Of course!"

"Okay, I'll get us some prey. We'd better hurry." She trotted over to the fresh-kill pile, chose a rather plump jaybird, and brought it back to Rockstorm. They gobbled it down quickly, and she spat out a feather as she raced to the tunnel.

"Hi, Sootstorm! Ready?"

"Right. Let's go."

They were out until it was dark, on an uneventful border patrol. They started at the GrassClan border to the west, traveled east along the border from there, and followed the stream back to the general area of camp.

All in all, at the end of the day, Briarfur and Rockstorm were practically asleep on their feet. They were both still hungry, but they went straight to the den. Rockstorm circled his nest and settled down, flicking his tail invitingly towards her. She curled up against his warm body, purring. Sleep gently washed over them.


	14. Rusting Away Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Blood. Pain. Fear.

"You pathetic worm," the voice hissed. "You are an outsider, and you don't deserve to be here."

Torment. Agony. Terror.

"You want the life of a warrior, huh? Well here it is. Rough, ain't it?"

Battle. Screams. Horror.

"I'm gonna kill you right now. It'll be a favor to every cat here… yourself included. Don't be afraid. Or do. Your choice."

The giant white fangs sliding closer to the throat with every passing instant. Wild passion radiating from the eyes of a vicious brown tomcat. Certain death.

Swiftclaw awoke with a start, a low, blood-curdling moan escaping from his throat. He looked around the quiet den. He had managed not to wake the other warriors from their slumber. Hopefully they were having more pleasant dreams than he.

He slowly stretched, and then emerged from the bramble screen sheltering the warriors' den. The first grey light of dawn was barely visible through the treetops, and the camp was totally silent. He breathed in deeply, noting the scent of Raincloud who was sitting vigil in a treetop.

_Hm. I think I'd better take a walk… clear my mind. _The worst part about the hideous nightmare was that it was all true. Seasons ago during a hard leaf-bare, when he was still an apprentice, a WoodClan raiding party that he had attended had fought RustClan warriors. A fearsome warrior named Thornfang had pinned him to the ground and nearly killed him. He never forgot the wild look in his eyes, or the sheer terror he experienced. Had his mentor, Woodpelt, not noticed in the nick of time, he would be dead right now!

Swiftclaw shuddered. _But I survived. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Calm yourself, Swiftclaw._

His ears pricked. A small rustling could be heard among the fallen leaves. He quickly pinpointed the sound, and drew the scent of blackbird over the roof of his mouth.

_The early bird gets the worm. The early cat catches the bird. _He grinned to himself slightly as he put one paw before another, stealthily padding towards the source of the noise. A dark, feathery pelt entered his vision, a bird pecking at the ground. His victim never knew what hit it. _Thank you, StarClan, for the life of this bird. May its honorable death prolong our lives._

Swiftclaw picked up the blackbird, a worm dropping from its beak and wriggling away, and padded back towards camp as golden sunlight penetrated the leafy canopy.

"Welcome, Swiftclaw. I see the prey was running well!" called Rainfall joyfully. "Hey, I hear Stonestar wants to see you."

Swiftclaw nodded his head to him and padded through the camp tunnel. After depositing his blackbird among the fresh-kill pile, and murmuring another prayer for it, he scanned the clearing for his Clan's leader. He padded to a pair of boulders near Stonestar's den, where the leader was sharing tongues with Mousepelt, the medicine cat.

"Good morning, Stonestar. I understand that you wished to speak with me?" he meowed with a respectful nod of his head.

"Ah, yes. Please, make yourself comfortable." He nodded to a place on the sun-warmed stones, and tossed a mouse to Swiftclaw. He tried to seem cheerful, but Swiftclaw could tell right away that something was bothering his leader.

"Listen, Swiftclaw, something needs to be done about RustClan. Recall the border skirmish a few days ago—Runningpaw won't be fit for duty for another two sunrises at least! You agree that this is getting out of hand, yes?"

So that's what was under Stonestar's pelt! "Of course! RustClan is far outside of the warrior code. It would be in everyone's best interests if something were done to stop them."

"Okay, then, I have a mission for you. I plan on launching an attack. Scaring RustClan by defeating their warriors on their own territory might be the only way to stop their aggression—and I'm not taking any chances."

"So, what should I do? Would you like me to lead a combat patrol?"

"Yes; but more than that, we need a spy. Like I said, I'm not taking any chances. If you could infiltrate their junkyard and find the camp, we would have the advantage. You are the most stealthy warrior in the Clan; I believe only you could do it." Stonestar leaned forward before Swiftclaw could answer. "Before you decide to accept this mission, you should know the danger. You are going to be by yourself, and there is no telling what would happen to you if you were caught! I am not going to force one of my best warriors into this."

But Swiftclaw had already made up his mind. The Clan came first no matter what. "I accept this mission."


	15. Rusting Away Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The wind blew across the open terrain, the air filling with acrid, metallic scents. The cawing of crows and the scurrying of rats' feet are the only sounds in earshot, seemingly amplified against the backdrop of silence. Sinister shadows dance in the moonlight.

_Home sweet home,_ thought Thornfang on his solitary midnight patrol. He rather enjoyed prowling along RustClan's borders every evening by himself. It gave him a chance to gather his thoughts, and have a reprieve from his constant duties as deputy.

But something bothered him on this night, tugging at the edge of his consciousness... something was not as it should be. He continued to draw the breeze over the roof of his mouth, tasting the air for anything out of the ordinary. There was nothing.

Wait; no, there _was_ something—and it was definitely reason for worry! Thornfang immediately changed direction and swiftly dashed in the direction of the trouble. It was a WoodClan warrior.

The warrior was already in the junkyard. It was several precious moments before Thornfang could locate him. He sat hidden in a pile of Twoleg scrap, watching the intruder creep stealthily on his four legs. Fortunately for the RustClan deputy, the scents of the junkyard, so unfamiliar to the WoodClan cat, disguised him perfectly. Thornfang was just about to confront the enemy when he recognized him: it was Swiftclaw, the _loner!_ A grin crossed Thornfang's face. _I might actually _enjoy _dealing with this!_

"Well, well, if the poor little alley cat didn't stray too far from home again! There's no one to save you here, Swiftclaw! You're all mine!"

The startled Swiftclaw turned towards Thornfang, a priceless expression of fear and alarm showing in his round eyes. The WoodClan warrior hesitated a moment... and fled.


	16. Rusting Away Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Swiftclaw bolted through the labyrinth of black, plastic pelts and twisted, dead monsters. _Curse this junkyard, _he thought as he tried to find the way he came. He knew he was at a severe disadvantage in this situation. He nearly panicked—he foolishly assumed he would not be discovered—but with all his self-discipline, that was impossible. He forced himself to control his breathing and remain calm as he surveyed his surroundings. He could hear Thornfang's pawsteps pounding behind him, about 20 tail-lengths away. As he came upon a divergence in the path, he slowed down for a precious second to taste the air... then he picked up on his own scent to the left. He began racing as fast as he could again.

The next few minutes were the longest of his life. The sounds of his pursuer gradually got louder, and louder, until he could hear Thornfang's raspy breath, but he didn't dare slow down by looking behind him. Finally, he could see the exit to the nightmare that RustClan cats call home, and put all the energy he had into sprinting away... but it wasn't enough. Thornfang barreled into him, knocking his face into the course grass just as he left the last mound of refuse behind him.

He struggled to throw the weight of the vicious RustClan deputy off of his back, and the two tomcats wrestled on the ground, biting and scratching, until they broke apart, flanks heaving. Thornfang had fixed Swiftclaw with a mean glare.

"You don't honestly think you can spy on RustClan and get away with it, do you?" the angry warrior demanded, his giant fangs glimmering in the moonlight. He menacingly advanced towards Swiftclaw. "Just what did you manage to find before I came across you? Spill it!"

His sly mind working fast, Swiftclaw bluffed, "I found exactly what I was looking for. Your camp! Now I will deal with you, return to the forest, and mark my words: we will return with an invasion patrol and decimate your Clan. Your breaking of the Warrior Code has come to an end!"

Swiftclaw believed this would make RustClan rather nervous, and work to WoodClan's advantage; but only if he made it back alive. But there was no more time to talk or think, and the WoodClan warrior and his nemesis sprang back into battle, rolling downhill across the barren plain. It was too late when the two cats realized they were heading right down the riverbank, and in one short second, they plunged into the icy cold water together.


End file.
